


The Nights are Long in This Profession

by Fuzzy_Logics



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Action, But I will have some chapters as other Bat Fam, Crime Fighting, I hope to include as many bat characters as possible, I mostly write for Nightwing, Light Angst, Other, Some Humor, Whumptober 2020, here i go again
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:47:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26817586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fuzzy_Logics/pseuds/Fuzzy_Logics
Summary: A series of stories for Whumptober 2020.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Damian Wayne
Comments: 14
Kudos: 56





	1. Let's Hang Out Sometime

**Author's Note:**

> I am going to attempt to get through every prompt. I may finish late, but I will finish it. Enjoy!

Let's Hang Out Sometime

It wasn't often Dick got a chance to swing on the trapeze down in the cave. Bruce was out on “business” in Metropolis, Alfred was doing some shopping, and the others were rarely around these days. Things have been, a little tense to say the least.

Bruce almost married Selina.

Dick almost got possessed by Ra's al Ghul and tried to take over the world.

(That wasn't his fault.)

And Damian almost called him...

Dick leapt off the standing platform and closed his eyes, feeling the whoosh of air that came with the long swing across the chasm. He thought back to earlier that week.

~

“And why am I going to school?” Damian asked, his eyebrow arched with annoyance. He sat cross legged on Dick's red sofa as he watched the eldest with intensity. He reminded Dick of a small kitten ready to pounce on an unsuspecting victim. “I am fluent in several languages, I understand Bio Chemistry, Quantum Physics, History from multiple nations old and new, Shakespeare, Angelou, and-”

“Ah yes, but do you know what it's like to pick a team for dodgeball? Or trade your chocolate milk for a fruit roll-up?” Dick grinned.

“Why is any of that important?” Damian asked as he rolled his eyes.

“You're going to find out. Some of my best memories happened at a public school. Meeting up with friends in between classes, hanging out after school, joining an athletic team. Your mother taught you a lot, but the one thing you severely lack is social skills.” Dick began cooking up some eggs as he spoke to the boy.

“How can you say that? I am always telling you bat bums to go to hell. Does that not count as being social? Besides, I am the leader of the Teen Titans now. That must be evidence enough that I am able to communicate well.” Damian argued.

Dick sighed. “Communication and being sociable are two different things. Yes, you give clear and precise orders, but you have difficulty expressing how you truly feel. You get uncomfortable around laughter, I don't know why that is but I see every time. You also need more time around ki-uh people your age. Yes, the Teen Titans are your age but I want to see you with more.” Dick read Damian's face and anticipated each argument before Damian could protest. 

“I understand that you feel like it's redundant or useless, but you'd be surprise what skills you pick up being around different groups of people. It helped me out whenever I find myself in a different city, far away from you guys and the people I know. It helps you blend into not so populated environments. Everyone notices the unsociable new guy in town.”

“So I'm just supposed to go around yapping at everyone at school?” Damian retorted.

“No, but I don't want you to go find a corner and sulk until the day is done either.” Dick pulled down a couple of plates and stuck two pieces of bread in the toaster. 

“I just want you to try, Damian. Just for the time being. If you are going to stay with me, this is one of the rules.”

“One of the rules? There are more?” Damian said in a slightly whiny tone.

Dick grinned. “Yes, such as chores. You will have them. There is no Alfred to pick up your dirty socks when you fling them on the floor. They will include cooking too. I am going to show you how to make a few meals. You'll be home before me a couple of days in the week and I am going to rely on you to have dinner done.”

Dick heard the toaster pop and spun around to collect the toast. “Breakfast is done. Come over here and eat.”

“I am not afraid of labor. I do know how to take care of myself.” Damian insisted as he plopped down at the small kitchen table.

“Including bathroom duty.” Dick smirked as he set a plate of eggs and toast before the young man.

“Ew, really?”

“Yup, really.”

Damian grumbled something under his breath, then dipped his toast into the yolk. “Fine Da-...I mean Richard.”

~

Dick let go.

He tumbled through the air and for a moment he hovered above the conversation. He knew Damian had hoped Dick hadn't caught the slip up but the fragment of the word was like a crystal bell chyme in his ear. Dick did try and remain casual for Damian's sake, but deep down the moment shook Dick to his core.

They hadn't said much after that.

So much for social skills.

Like breathing, his hands naturally reached out at the right moment to grasp the handle of the next swing. It was barely a thought to the motion. It was so ingrained in Dick's memory, he could think about other things while he did it.

But that wasn't what he wanted to do. He was trying to clear his mind, get away from it all up here. Yet, he couldn't help but think of the word that hung over their breakfast that day. He had talked about it before with Damian. It wasn't completely new. They had spoken about Damian coming to stay with him on a roof top one night, but Dick had decided not to pursue it thinking it would hurt Bruce's relationship with his son. Then the almost wedding had really upset Damian. He became angry and argumentative with Bruce. The near death and amnesia episode with Dick had almost severed their bond, and their time with his mother and foiling Ra's al Ghul's plan had brought Dick and Damian's old team feelings back.

So much had occurred in so little time. 

Dick pulled himself up onto the swing and leaned his head against the wire. 

He had told Bruce he was taking Damian in. The two men stared at each other, frozen in time.

“Damian's coming with me.”

The words echoed in the darkness that surrounded them. They lingered in the air like a perfume, Dick could have sworn the words hadn't left his throat, and then...

“Fine.”

Bruce turned back around in his chair and continued to work.

That was it. But that wasn't it.

It never was between them.

His relationship with Bruce was very much like trapezing, only sometimes you felt like you were hanging without a partner to catch you. 

Bruce has dropped him a few times, not that he was to blame for most of them. 

But sometimes...

And Dick didn't want Damian to be dropped. That was why he decided to go through with this. Bruce had to understand that. He hoped he would, over time.

Dick let himself drop backwards and catch himself with the backs of his knees. He peered down at the black hole below and it made the best analogy for his stomach right now. He pulled himself up again and began to swing up some momentum.

It was for the best, for Bruce and Damian. If Dick could help Damian come to grips with Selina and his father, and for Bruce to understand Damian's feelings, in the end they could all understand each other and become a unit again. A family. 

Dick wasn't sure why it always came down to him to fix things. Perhaps it was because he was the only one that wanted repaired relationships. Did the others really not care about how strained their bond had become?

Dick couldn't stand it. He wanted to be able to call home and talk to everyone at once, or be home for the holidays and hand a present to everyone, to see each smile and hug all of this brothers and sister. He needed to know that no one was left behind. So he would continue to fix things, even at the cost of his sanity.

Dick did a triple flip backwards, catching himself with one hand. It was a dangerous move to do solo. His heart rate kicked up a notch at the near miss.

“You shouldn't do that alone.” Bruce's voice cut through his thoughts. “You could fall.”

“But I'm not alone, am I?” Dick returned. He made his way back to the platform and descended the ladder.

Bruce handed him a towel. “No.”

Dick accepted it and began to wipe off the sweat.

“I hope I'm not bothering you. It's just I had the itch to do some wire work.”

“You never bother me.”

“Ha, that's a lie.” Dick let out a dry laugh.

“It is not a lie. I may not like what you have to say sometimes, but it does not mean you bother me. What you tell me is the truth, whether I like it or not.” Bruce placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Don't worry about it, Dick. I may not have been understanding about Damian earlier, but I know that if you brought it up, then it's for the best. This year had been extra difficult for him and you have been there for him, even with your amnesia. You stayed with him and cared for him.”

Dick's eyes widened. “Bruce.”

“I wish I could be a better father to him. I always get caught up in work and other projects when I should be checking in on all of you. Instead, you are the one looking out for us. I feel I've let you down.” Bruce looked down at the ground.

Dick shook his head and smiled. “You haven't. We understand what you are going through. And don't worry about me, I'm just glad to hear that you care. That's all that matters. I'll take care of the rest.”

“But you shouldn't have to. It should be me. I'm the parent here. It's not your responsibility. It's mine. And I do worry about you.” Bruce looked up and stared into Dick's blue eyes.

“You always handle your problems yourself and help the others with theirs. I wonder what a burden it must be for you. You never say.”

“You never ask.”

“I'm asking now. How are you?”

Dick let out a soft chuckle. “You know, I don't know what to say now.”

Bruce made his usual grunt of acknowledgment. So Dick just put his arms around him and gave a hard squeeze.

“I'm good Bruce, now that I know we're okay. I promise it's only temporary. I just want to help him get back to the decent brat I was used to when we were Batman and Robin. I don't want him regressing into the feral cat he came to us as.”

“I understand. I appreciate it Dick. You always know how to care for him. I am thankful for that.”

Dick smiled. “Thanks, B. I won't let you down.” He held up his hand for a high five.

Bruce turned and headed for the main computer. “Carry on with your training. I won't disturb you anymore.”

“Come on Bruce, don't leave me hanging here.”


	2. In the Hands of the Enemy

In the Hands of the Enemy

"I seem to catch you in your most inopportune times, don't I boy." Deathstroke purred in his ear. Dick struggled with the bonds holding him, but he knew better than to think Slade would do a half job of restraining him.

Dick had nothing to do with Deathstroke. He was busy taking care of Bludhaven and was about to call it a night when he was shot with a tranquilizer. He awoke to find himself somewhere that wasn't Bludhaven, from the smell of it, not very sanitary, tied up and talking with the one-eyed assassin.

"What the hell is this about Slade?" Dick demanded.

"Sorry, your old man and I have some business together. Just be a good boy and this will all be over." Slade sat down across from him, the dim light only reaching his legs and casting the rest of him in shadow. From the look of it, they were in some kind of warehouse, but Dick couldn't begin to tell what it was holding.

"I smell shit and I can't tell if it's you or your living arrangements." Dick muttered.

"Manure. Commercial warehouse for farming supplies." Deathstroke replied unfazed.

"Aw, you thinking about letting go of the assassin business, settle down on the prairie and grow turnips? You look like a turnip kind of guy. Or maybe carrots. You've got the orange thing down." Dick spoke casually. Deathstoke didn't respond.

"You'd look good with one of those straw hats, and overalls. Or maybe you just like smell of shit, 'cause you're full of it."

Slade removed his mask and chuckled. "I am used to your smart tongue. But keep it up and see that I don't cut it out of that pretty little mouth."

"And on his farm he had some cows-"

~

Batman turned on the tracer and a bright red spot appeared on the GPS. He knew Deathstroke had to know he would track him, the old assassin was better than that. So he had reason to believe it was intentionally left on.

"Alfred, I've located the tracker. He is on the outskirts of Gotham."

"Shall I notify GCPD?" Alfred's british accent came through the speaker. 

"Not yet. I am not sure what his plan is just yet." Batman replied.

"You were able to stop him from obtaining tech from Wayne Enterprises. What else could he be after?"

"We'll see, I'm five minutes out. Over and out." Batman switched off the speaker and pressed harder on the gas pedal. The batmobile roared with compliance and sped up.

He reached the industrial park in the amount of time he told Alfred and turned of the engines. He let the car coast a little before putting on the break. The top shield pulled back and he jumped out to scan the area. There were plenty of places to hide. He didn't like it. He switched to the particle senor in his cowl and examined the ground. It had been disturbed recently with tire tracks. Batman followed them to the back of a large ware house. A jeep was parked outside. A quick scan of the license plate told him this was Slade's transportation; the car had been reported missing two days ago. He climbed up to the roof top and looked for a way in. He found it via an open window on the top floor.

He nose instantly filled with the smell of manure. Batman crouched down and made his way to the metal staircase ahead of him. Something in the back of his mind was setting off silent alarms that told him there was about to be an alteration to the situation. And he knew it at the last second. The soft scent of familiar body spray.

"Hold it right there, Batman. One step further and I will hurt him." Deathstroke called out from the ground floor. He stood alone, but that didn't mean Dick wasn't in danger.

"Where is he?" Batman demanded.

"Don't worry about him. I have him somewhere out of the way. We still have business to discuss." Slade replied with a grin.

"He has nothing to do with this." Batman said.

"Of course not, but I know you will do just about anything for him. I want what I came for. Give me device." Deathstroke held his hand out. "Do this and I'll let him go. If not, I will have him dismembered and sent to you piece by piece."

"I can't do that Slade. That technology gets put in the wrong hands and it could mean massive damage to a large population." Batman declined.

"Well, it's not our fault that people come up with the most wicked ideas and try to make money off of them. It's just the way of the world. I just know my buyer wants it and you're in the way." Slade put his mask back on. "I know you, and I know what he means to you. He's worth it. You weren't afraid to let people die because of him before."

Batman flew down and landed several feet away from him. "I can't give you the plasma multiplier."

"Then Nightwing will be plant food." Deathstroke pulled out a shuriken and tossed it towards a control panel on the far wall. Batman hoped he was quicker and threw a batarang to cut it off. 

It connected and knocked it off target. Batman ran at the assassin and tried to disarm him. Deathstroke evaded and landed a cut to Batman's shoulder. He saw Deathstroke reach for another throwing star and he grabbed him and tossed him further away from the panel. 

"Penny One" Batman called into his com.

"Yes, sir?"

"Take out the electricity on this block." He grunted as he tackled the large man and threw him into a tractor. 

"Right away." A few seconds later all the small lights went out around them.

"Don't think that'll stop me, Batman." Deathstroke growled. "I will not fail my mission."

"Sorry Slade, but you'll be going back empty-handed." Batman pulled out his grapple gun and shot it straight at Slade's chest. He went flying backwards with the hook embedded in the armor. Batman grabbed the wire quickly to pull up the slack and began to spin the off balanced killer around. Deathstroke stumbled and fell. Batman then shot out his electrified netting, shocking the masked man. Slade let out a yell and fell unconscious to the floor.

"Nightwing!" Batman called out. He pulled out his tracking app on his gauntlet but cursed when he realized Dick didn't have a tracker anymore. It was an ongoing battle with him and keeping tabs on Dick. He began to search the warehouse. He looked all over until he came to a container labeled fertilizer. Batman shook his head and sighed. He opened the lid.

"What took you so long?" Dick said looking up. His cheeks smeared with brown soil and manure.

"I really didn't want to look in here so I left it as the last spot."

"Do you really think he wouldn't put me here?" Dick asked sarcastically.

"What did you say to put yourself here?" Batman asked as he pulled the young man up.

"I said he'd make a bad farmer." Nightwing jumped down and waited to be untied.

"Is that all?" Batman smirked as he untied his protégé.

"I may have annoyed him with 'Ole MacDonald." Dick grinned.

"That'll do it."

"So what was it this time? The mayor? Some headstrong attorney?" Dick asked as he tried without success to wipe the grime off himself.

"No, it was the new Wayne Tech plasma multiplier. It was meant for medical research but with a few adjustments, it can be turned into a dangerous destructive device." Batman headed for Deathstroke and Dick followed after him.

"The things people come up with. So what do we do with him?"

"Amanda Waller wants him."

"Sheesh, and you're going to just hand him over?"

"Well, Gotham can't hold him and he knows to many in Belle Reve so she is the only one to hold him successfully." Batman picked up the unconscious man and made his way out to the batmobile. Nightwing leaned against the car.

"That is until she lets him go on good behavior, or he makes a getaway on one of her suicide missions."

"Nightwing."

"Yeah?"

"You stink."


	3. My Way or the Highway

Chapter 3

My Way or the Highway

Jason sat straddling his bike at a light in Downtown Gotham. It was a seedy part of town with some of Gotham's more, robust citizens. Somewhere behind him he heard the sound of a beer bottle smashing followed by a slew of obscenities. Tires screeched further up the street. He could smell the mixture of cuisines through his helmet. Say what you will about the area, but it had some of the best restaurants around. Better than that high class shit uptown.

His stomach growled.

"I could go for some Moroccan tonight." 

As he waited for the light to turn, a scream erupted from the alleyway to the right of him. He peered down but the shadows hid whomever was down lane. He sighed.

"Dammit. This better be quick." He he gunned the engine as he turned the handlebars, creating a black semi-circle of rubber on the asphalt and sped into the dark, narrow street. He didn't have his Red Hood gear with him tonight, unlike some obsessive compulsive people he knew, Jason knew when to take a break.

"And yet, here you are, following a damsel in distress." He muttered. He had his hoodie and that would be enough. 

Another scream filled the air, closer this time. He could even hear a scuffle. He pressed the gas harder, narrowly missing a turned over trash can. His head light caught the criminals in the middle of their act. Jason took two of them down with his bike. The goons went flying into the brick wall. 

"Are yo-" Jason stopped mid sentence as he did a double take at the victim. It was a short, slightly chubby middle aged man in a suit. He was roughed up and clutching a medium sized silver briefcase. His receding hairline was beaded with sweat. Jason looked behind him and saw three more gang members running up to meet them.

"Get on!" Jason barked.

"P-p-please don't kill me!" The man whined. Jason grabbed him by the tie and pulled him close. 

"Get on or I leave you with them." He nodded in the direction of the danger. The business man lifted a shaky leg over the bike and grabbed a handful of jacket to stabilize himself. "Hang on."

Jason gunned it for the entrance. He heard the shots ring out behind him while a bullet or two ricocheted off the fire escape ladders. He made it out of the alley and headed down the street. The frightened man was squeezing his ribs a little too hard. Once he felt they were far enough away, he pulled over.

"Alright, that's enough. Get off and get the hell out of here. What's a guy like you doing in a place like this? That sounded like a pick up line but don't get any ideas."

"Th-thank you for saving me! I, uh, got off at the wrong stop. I moved to Gotham City a few years ago." The man stammered.

"Who moves to Gotham City? Look, just find yourself a cab that'll take you where you want to go." Jason handed him a ten dollar bill. "That will at least get you to midtown Gaslamp district."

"Oh, thank you! You are truly a kind man." The man grinned and bowed as he accepted the money. Jason frowned.

"Yeah, whatever. Just scram." He took off before the man could say anything more to him. 

"Well there went my dinner." 

Jason decided to head for home. Home consisted of where ever he felt like crashing, any place he could find solace. Anywhere he could be free from the troubles of relationships and responsibility. His life had been a roller coaster since birth so any moment when there was just silence and peace was eagerly accepted. 

He found an old commercial building up for lease and decided to stay there for the night. He parked his bike in the back beside some piles of trash.

A familiar scream pierced the night.

"You gotta be kidding me." Jason slapped his hand to his forehead. "Seriously, who screams like that?"

He made his way across the rooftops and saw the chubby man once again surrounded by gang members. He was still clutching that briefcase.

"He's got something they want. Might as well figure out what's going on." Jason covered his head and jumped down on the first two unsuspecting individuals. He took care of the others without any problems. Once the punks were are taken care of, Jason spun around and pointed at the quivering man.

"I thought I told you to beat it. You know what? I want my money back. If this is some kind of drug trade gone wrong or you're selling people or something, I'm gonna be pissed." Jason growled.

The man shook his head furiously. "No! I'm not selling anything!"

"Then tell me what are you doing here and what's in the case?"

The man took out a handkerchief and wiped his brow. "My name is Simon. I am trying to locate Mr. Hood."

"Mister? Uh...you mean Red Hood?" Jason stepped back and stuffed his hands in his hoodie pockets. "What do you need him for?"

"Do you know where I can find him? I have something for him." Simon attempted to smooth out his hair but failed.

"I may know someone who knows someone who may have his whereabouts. What could you possible have that would interest a guy like that?" Jason asked skeptically.

"I have a job. I...shouldn't say anymore than that. I appreciate your help again but I must find Mr. Hood." Simon began looking for a way out of the circle of unconscious men when Jason grabbed his arm.

"Hold it. I said I knew him."

"You said you knew someone who knew-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know what I said, look-I may be able to help you if you just tell me what the job is. You looking to kill someone?"

Simon's eyes bulged with fear. "Oh no! Nothing like that. Good heavens!"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Okay then what kind of job do you have for a mercenary like him?"

"Well, I need someone...threatened." Simon spoke softly.

Jason let go of Simon's arm. "You want to hire Red Hood so he can threaten someone?"

The middle aged man nodded. Jason sighed and pondered his next move. Here was a man who is risking his life in a bad part of town just so he could have someone's life threatened by Red Hood. Simon looked as wimpy and pathetic as a man could be. In fact he looked like he screamed. Jason snorted. "Huh."

"What?" Simon asked.

"You intrigue me. Follow me." Jason headed back to the main streets. He turned back to see Simon still standing in the circle.

"Or stay and wait for them to wake up, I don't care."

With that, Simon trotted after him. They walked until Jason led him to one of his secret outposts. He motioned for Simon to stay put.

"Hang here for a minute. Gotta make a phone call. Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone." Jason ordered.

"Are you going to call Mr. Hood?"

"Look, nobody calls him that. It's stupid. Yes, I'm going to call him and he'll be here in a few minutes so stay out of sight and stay put." 

Jason headed up into the secret hide out built into an old post office. He got into his suit and collected a few nonlethal items for the job and headed back down. He came outside to find his prospect had vanished.

"Are you kidding me?"

He looked around and listened for that familiar scream. He picked up running from the left side and headed in that direction. It wasn't too long until he caught up to the out of breath man taking refuge between two large dumpsters. Jason yanked him out of his useless hiding spot.

"I thought you were told you to stay put!" Jason yelled.

"I did, I mean I was but I heard something!" Simon stammered. 

"Look, just..." Jason was finding his patience wearing thin. The only thing that kept him invested with the pudgy man was his curiosity of the job. "Tell me what you want. I need specifics, and most importantly, why the hell are you asking me to do it?"

A car horn honking in the distance made Simon jump before starting. "Well, his name is Louis. He is my co-worker at Ventreon Electronics. He is six foot two, redish brown hair-"

"Screw all that, what I want to know right here and now is why me? This all sounds like something way too low below my pay grade."

Simon lifted up his suitcase. "Twenty thousand dollars."

Jason's eyes bulged beneath his mask and he pushed the suitcase down. "Are you f-...keep your voice down. Let's walk." He grabbed Simon's arm and dragged him along.

With less force and a lower tone Jason continued. "Now if I heard correctly, you didn't want anyone killed. Is that correct?"

"Y-yes that's correct. No killing." Simon scanned the streets with paranoia before looking back at the red mask. "It's not that kind of job. I just want him threatened."

"For twenty thousand dollars. Not that I'm complaining but that seems like a lot of money for a spook job." Jason wondered aloud. "You must really hate this guy."

There was a sudden shift in Simon's demeanor. "You have no idea." 

Jason had to give it to the fat bastard, for someone to really want to make a statement, he was crystal clear. He realized in that moment that Simon was a little like himself. Thinking back to the lengths he went through when he was brought back and found the Joker was still alive. How the rage consumed him, how much he thought about revenge, all the planning and moving parts that went into it. Simon was at that point, the only difference was that Simon was a good man. He wasn't a killer.

Like him.

On second thought, Simon wasn't like him at all.

Jason shrugged and brought his attention back to Simon. "Alright, but if we are going to do this, we do this my way. I need full commitment from you Simon. That means no chickening out or saying it's too much. Do you understand?"

~

Louis Collins was a go getter. Whatever he wanted, he got it. Nothing would get in his way. So he made his way up the chain of command at Ventreon Electronics. He didn't know a thing about what made their products tick but he could sell the hell out of it. It didn't matter what it was, in fact, he could sell ice to a penguin. His perfect set of teeth flashed, his dimples showed, and a rib poking joke would have his buyers eating out of his hand. He was looking at another bonus for the end of the year for all his hard work. So what if he stepped on a few heads to get results?

Louis walked to his car and unlocked the Mercedes Coupe. He had spent a little extra time at the office tonight since it was coming to the end of the quarter. He had put all the grunts through the ringer to meet quota. Even his peers at his level got a little taste of the Louisville Slugger. That's what his dad used to call him. He made sure to let his superiors know it too, to emphasize his get it done attitude.

A noise snapped him out of his self gloating. He looked around the empty parking lot but saw nothing. Louis shrugged and slid into the car seat, but before he could shut the door, he felt a cold nuzzle of steel against his forehead.

"Don't move Louie. Don't do a thing unless I say so." Came the cold hiss of words. Louis was alert but it wasn't his first hold up. He used to work at a bank before this. He let his training take over.

"Listen buddie, everything is okay. I'll hand you my wallet and my key-"

"Shuddup! I don't want your shit." He felt the face get closer to his. "I want you, Lou. Just you."

"Wha?" Louis was yanked out of the car and thrown onto the damp asphalt. He turned over and gasped at the sight of the Red Hood. He towered over the usually tall man, but on the ground, Louis felt like an ant, right about to be stepped on. He raised his hands in surrender.

"L-look man, I think you got the wrong guy."

"Oh no, Louis Collins is the man I'm looking for. That's you." Red Hood pointed down at him. Louis felt a sheen of sweat start to cover his body.

"I don't understand, what did I do? I'm no criminal. You can check. I don't even have a traffic violation to my name." Louis pleaded. "Please, I really-"

"Oh I've looked you up alright. Not a criminal, you are correct in that." Red Hood lifted up a finger in exception. "But you are an asshole."

Louis looked on in shock and confusion. Red Hood began to circle him. "Now I know that's nothing to get arrested for, in most cases, and it is everybody's right to act like an asshole, it's a free country. However, it doesn't mean that it goes without its consequences. Some might say, that it is karma that gets you in time, others say that it reflects on you in the after life, heh. What I say is, you act like an asshole long enough, you meet me."

Red Hood grabbed the business man and pulled him up. "Let's go for a drive."

He threw Louis into the passenger side and jumped into the driver's seat. "At least I don't have to adjust the seat. This is pretty comfy, how's the mileage?"

"Dude, please. I don't know what I could have done-" 

"Oh I'll get to it, but right now, buckle up." Red Hood started the car and quickly took off. The silver car swerved and peeled out of the parking lot and onto the empty road. They reached sixty in a matter of seconds and the vigilante pressed the pedal down even more. 

"Whoa, whoa! You're going too fast!" Louis struggled to put his seatbelt on and was slammed into the passenger's side door. Red Hood took the car onto the highway.

"Where are you taking me?"

"For a ride, Lou. A really wild ride." Red Hood shifted gear and sped faster. He took the exit to downtown Gotham. "Have you seen the southside? I'm telling you, a car like this deserves to be shown off to the everyday joes in this town."

"It's not safe there at night. Please!" Louis begged. 

"Don't worry, I'm here."

They took the turn off and made their way through the darkened streets. Louis pulled on his collar, finding it hard to breath. 

"You still with me Lou? Looks like we got some company." Red Hood glanced in the rearview mirror. A couple of cars were racing behind him. "I told ya, this car really makes some waves down here."

One of the cars came up beside Louis' side. The rear window rolled down and a man with a shotgun shouted to them. "Pull the car over!"

"Oh my God! We're going to die!" Louis whined.

"Over my dead body. Believe me, there's a story behind that. Hang on." Red Hood got them back on the highway. He knew he could lose them, their top speed was way higher than the jalopy's they were driving, but that would defeat the purpose of doing this. He let the other car get along beside him. Another goon pulled a shotgun out and mirrored the other car.

"Pull over now!" The one on the right side said, pumping the round into the barrel. 

"Pull over! They are going to shoot us!" Louis pleaded. 

"They wouldn't dare risk ruining this car." Red Hood looked at both cars and braced himself. "But then again, they do look pretty ready."

"Pull over!"

"Pull the fucking car over!"

Louis squeezed his eyes shut and hugged himself to try and stop the shaking.

Red Hood slammed on the brakes just as the two guns went off. Each gunman managed to shoot the other car, causing them both to spin out and crash. Red Hood avoided the wrecks without difficulty and gained more speed.

"Woo! I love this car! Look at her go! Do you know I used to steal hubcaps? Give me enough time and I could chop a car up with a crowbar and a wrench."

"Just let me go! Please!" Louis cried out.

"Not yet, Lou. We're not done yet." Red Hood re-routed back to the slums and pulled the car into a dead end. 

"Get out." Red Hood commanded as he hopped out of the car.

"Oh my God, please." Louis began to babble. Red Hood came around and opened his door. He grabbed Louis by the collar.

"Let's go."

"I don't want to die."

"Then move."

They made their way into a condemned parking garage. There, Red Hood threw Louis to the ground. He landed on a tarp on all fours.

"Oh my God you are going to kill me." He whined. "You are going to kill me. Please!"

"Jeez shut the hell up for a second. Hey, come on out!" Red Hood shouted into the darkness. "I have my, uh, sidekick ready with the program."

"Please, I'll pay you!" Louis begged on his knees. Red Hood looked down with mild interest.

"Really? How much?" He asked. He heard Simon coming out of the shadows.

"Five thousand dollars." Louis' voice came out raspy from all the crying.

"Do you think your life is worth five thousand dollars?" Red Hood crouched down to meet him face to mask.

"You can even have the car. You like the car, right?" Louis tried to negotiate.

"Hm, it is a nice car, but those things are traceable. I only deal in cash."

"Then give me some time, and I'll make it ten thousand!" Louis shouted.

"No good, Lou."

"I don't even know what the fuck this is all about! I don't deserve this!" Louis screamed, spittle flying from his quivering lips. Red Hood stood up and wiped it away.

"I told you. You are an asshole. And sometimes assholes need a good enema."

Red Hood looked up, and slouched his shoulders. Simon stood across from him, keeping Louis in the middle. He had found a black ski mask to put on but...

"Is...is he w-wearing a trash bag?" Louis asked.

Simon had removed his suit and replaced it with a large trash bag. His pale arms and legs sticking out. He had put storage bags on his feet. Jason resisted the urge to face palm.

"Why yes, he is. It's dirty work we do after all."

"I'm gonna die. I'm really gonna die." Louis muttered, his eyes glazing over with shock.

"Stay with me Lou. I need your full attention here." Red hood clapped his hands, getting the frightened man's attention.

"Things are looking pretty dire here, but you have a small window of opportunity and it starts with you shutting up and listening closely."

The sidekick had a bucket and began to tips its contents over Louis. He immediately smelled gasoline. He wailed and groveled on the tarp by Red Hood's feet.

"Hey, what did I say? I need you to shut up and listen. Do you want to make it out of here alive or what?" Red Hood pushed him back with his boot.

"Yes! Yes!"

"Then here is what you do; You are going to turn over a new leaf. You are going to wake up tomorrow feeling like you could just give the world a hug. Be kind to your neighbors, treat your co-workers with respect and appreciate all of their hard work. You will devote your free time to feeding the needy." Red Hood listed off.

"Are...are you serious?" Louis asked incredulously.

Red Hood leaned over him. "Does this look like a joke, dirt wad? Si-uh, Sidekick!" Red Hood tried to snap his gloved fingers together. "Do the thing."

"The thing? Oh, the thing!" His masked comrade replied.

"Sidekick? He doesn't have a name?" Louis asked.

"He does when he wears a decent costume." Red Hood snapped back.

Louis heard a swipe and spun around to see the trash bag man holding a lit match.

"Oh God." He whispered.

"Louis Collins, if you want to live, promise me to do these things. If I find you have pissed off anyone, sweet talked your way out of another ticket, or trampled over the weak, I will find you and I will have my Louis Collins medium rare." Red Hood hissed.

"Okay! Okay! I promise!" Louis nodded vigorously.

"Sell it to me Louis." Red Hood crossed his arms over his chest. "Make me believe you."

"I will change my ways! I will be kind! I will-"

"Proof! I want proof! What are you going to do tomorrow!" Red Hood barked.

"I-I-I will go into my boss' office and tell him that the report I've been redoing belongs to Simon Teeves. He's the one I've been mooching my work off of. I'll fix that first thing tomorrow!" Louis said, shaking with fear.

"Why wait? Why don't you write a nice email to him tonight?" Red Hood asked. It wasn't really a question.

"Yes! I can do that!"

"You may want to put in a letter of resignation with it. I'm pretty sure that's going to look bad on your reputation." Red added.

Louis said nothing but nodded.

"What do you think? Does that sound like he's sincere?" Red Hood asked his partner. Louis looked to the masked man in a garbage bag and waited. There was something about the look in the man's eyes that scared him more than Red Hood in that moment. He realized that this man held his life in his hands. The flame on the match was getting dangerously close to the man's fingers but he didn't waver in the slightest. He simply stared down at the cowardly man below.

He nodded and blew out the match.

"Well it looks like we believe you. Now take off your clothes."

"What?" Louis turned back to Red Hood.

"Your clothes. Take them off. They are covered in gas. Can't let you go like that."

Louis looked down and slowly began to disrobe. "All of them?"

"Yup, down to your bare bottom."

Once Louis was naked he stood covering his front area and faced the two masked men. "Can I go now?"

"One more thing." Red Hood said. "That man you stole your work from, apologize to him."

"I will."

"No, tell me what you are going to say to him right now."

Louis looked down.

"Look at us. I want to see the shame on your face." Red replied.

Louis looked up. "I am really sorry, Simon. I've taken you for granted too many times. You deserved my position a long time ago and I took that away from you. I am truly sorry and you will never have to put up with me ever again."

Red Hood nodded. "I think that will do. Now fuck off."

He tossed the key fob to the naked man who took off running. After they heard the car peel out, Simon breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can't believe it. He's leaving."

"Yeah, he better or I really mean it when I come after him. I hate jerks like that."

Simon slipped a little as he walked over to where his suitcase was. "So I want to thank you for doing this. It was definitely worth the money."

He lifted the case and held it out to Jason. Jason smiled under his mask.

"That was worth twenty thousand dollars?"

Simon smiled and nodded. Jason waved his hand. "Keep the money."

"What?"

"If it was worth the money than keep it. If you had said that it was just okay or wasn't worth it, I would have just yanked that case out of your hand and rat you out to Louis."

"Gee, thank you Mr.- I mean Red Hood."

"Now scram. I'm hungry."

"Oh, here." Simon handed the ten dollar bill back. "You can have that."

"You'll need it to get back to midtown."

"That's okay. Anyone comes to mess with me, I'll just say I know Red Hood. I have to admit this gives me a little street cred now."

"Don't let it go to your head." Red Hood snatched the money out of his hand. Jason walked out of the garage.

"I guess that was worth a ten." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun with this one.


	4. Running Out of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all about timing.

Chapter 4

Running Out of Time

Given how often things like this happen in Gotham, Dick really should have been prepared for this. Several bombs had been placed around the city. Even before he got the call from the big man he had gotten a tip off of a thug that made it into Bludhaven after setting one of them up. He and a few others were searching different sectors urgently and as thoroughly as possible. He got a call in from Drake.

"I found one at the docks!"

Nightwing responded. "Can you defuse it?"

"I think so. I'll let you know the setup after I diffuse it." Came the crackly response.

"Could use some help in the suburbs, it's difficult getting around fast here." Batgirl spoke up.

"On my way." Nightwing heard Signal reply.

"Everyone look for large storage capability. Don't bother looking for small stuff. These are bombs meant to do major damage." Nightwing stated. He swung high up into the air, scanning the area below him. "We're running out of time fast."

"How much time left?" Robin asked.

"Ten minutes." Drake responded.

"Keep it up everybody. Let me know if you encounter any trouble." Nightwing said as he spotted a suspicious scene. He landed on a rooftop nearby a park. He spotted a few statues that seemed new to the scenery. He lifted up his arm and started searching online for the new editions.

"Gotham Park West introduces modern art from various artists. Catch them through this Spring. Hm." Nightwing decided to take a better look. It was the first week of Summer so perhaps these were not the original works.

He walked up to one of the large designs and ran a scan over the materials. Sure enough, the scan picked up traces of accelerants. Nightwing called it in.

"I think I've got something here in the park. I'll let you know in a second."

He looked around the base of the strangely shaped work of art. He knocked on it. It appeared to look like copper but upon inspection, "It's fiber glass."

He grabbed it with both hands and hoisted it up. It was heavy, but not heavy enough to be copper and stone. It toppled over to reveal a large hole beneath it with three barrels of fuel and a large detonator. He looked around at the other statues, then eyed the four leads that ran from the detonator.

"All of them are bombs. Why so many here?" Nightwing wondered. He decided to focus on diffusing the bomb first. He called into Drake.

"How's that bomb looking? Any luck?" Nightwing squatted down and took a good look at the device before him. It didn't look too complicated, but it was those ones you had to watch out for.

"It looks like a simple design."

"Don't be fooled by it. Bombs are not Firefly's specialty but he wants things to burn. There may be a chance these bombs can't be stopped individually." Batman's voice interrupted them.

"Batman, I've got several barrels here in the park. Is that the standard with the others?" Nightwing asked.

"Hmn, I'll be right there. Don't touch anything."

"Cutting it short, B. Seven minutes." Nightwing stepped back and began to think about the placement. What was around here that needed so much fuel? He looked at the buildings around the park. Mostly restaurants and cafés, some boutique stores, and...

He pulled out his binoculars and looked a little further down the street.

"The Gotham Gallery."

Nightwing pulled up the schematics of the street, rather the underground layout. He felt a soft breeze flutter the hair at the base of his neck.

"Took you long enough." He teased.

"What have you found?" Batman asked, ignoring the joke. Batman leaned over and stared at the small screen on Nightwing's arm.

"The Gotham Gallery is a block away, but it has an underground walkway that leads to a docking port. That walkway passes through here. It's several feet thick so it would need a large explosion to break through."

"But why even go through the trouble? He could just break through the front door and-"

Batman cut him off. "The gallery is protected by a CO2 system that prevents fires."

"So that would mean they plan to use this point to enter and leave. Which would also mean-"

"Get down!" Batman shouted, grabbing Nightwing and throwing both of them to the ground. The air above them suddenly lit up, the skin on the back of Nightwing's neck burned. They had narrowly missed the aim of Firefly's flamethrower. 

"I don't have to fight you Batman and Nightwing! I just have to keep you in one spot. Ground zero!" Firefly shouted from above them. He hovered in the air with his jet pack.

"Let me keep him entertained while you work on the bomb." Nightwing said. 

Batman nodded and in unison they each rolled away. Firefly aimed for Batman first, letting Nightwing get his footing and shot his grappling hook into one of the trees. He lifted in the air and swung around to get closer to Firefly. He got the jump on him and landed a double kick to the back of his jet pack, sending the criminal out of control for a moment before recovering and setting his sights on the acrobat.

"Grr, you are such an annoying little gnat." Firefly growled. He aimed his flamethrower at him. Nightwing took to the air again to get away from the trees.

"Yeah, let's see if you can swat me. I'm feeling naughty." Nightwing taunted. He landed on top of a roof and stuck his tongue out.

"Don't need to, I'll just burn ya!"

The flamethrower spewed out a stream of liquid fire right at Nightwing. He rolled out of the way and ran for cover as the arc of flame followed after him. It was something Nightwing was used to, being a moving target. He jumped and flipped and took flight when he could. From a distance, it looked like a strangely beautiful fire display in the air as Firefly tried to hit Nightwing, but failing repeatedly. When he would try to go back to Batman, Nightwing would fly in close to distract him again. 

"Stand still you little-Guys, get to the spot and take out Batman!" Firefly called over a walkie-talkie.

"Need a little help? Allow me to offer a helping hand." Nightwing came around and took a punch. It didn't do too much damage as his mask took most of the impact but it got the pyromaniac's attention again.

"I'm gonna burn you to a crisp and feed your ashes to the Bat." He threatened.

Nightwing grinned. "I don't understand people who burn the hell out of a good piece of meat. I'm more of a medium rare kind of guy. Well done just tastes terrible. Although I don't mind a good char here and there."

"Oh I'll char you."

This went on for another few minutes as Nightwing caught a glance down at his mentor. Batman was taking on the goons that had answered Firefly's call. He hoped he would be able to take them out and still have time for the bomb.

"Whoa!" Nightwing dodged a flame that got too close. He needed to keep his attention on Firefly. He just had to trust in Batman that he would get the job done. That was how it all worked. He knew that the teamwork they had built up had taken time but it was practically flawless now, but he still got that twist in his stomach just like when he was a kid.

"You're running out of steam, boy." Firefly shouted. Nightwing looked back at him and figured he was far enough away from anything extremely flammable.

Nightwing grinned. "Maybe, but you're running low on fuel yourself."

"Not with this double tank I'm not. I could go all night." Firefly boasted. Nightwing shook his head and threw a wing-ding. It pierced the tanks.

"Not with that double sized hole you're not."

Fuel started pouring out at a fast pace. Firefly cried out. "No!"

The damage got Firefly's attention and Nightwing took the opportunity to shoot him with a flame retardant rope. He fell out of the air with a thud, landing on a slanted roof that rolled him down onto the street. Nightwing landed next to him, careful not to step in the fuel still leaking out. He ripped the mask off of Ted Carson's face, revealing the melted and scarred skin pulled down in a frown.

"Looks like your well done." Nightwing said looking down at him.

"I still have my revenge on the city. You've got mere seconds-"

"The bombs have been diffused." Batman came up behind Nightwing. "The de-activation of the primary bomb sent the secondary sets offline. A change up from your usual work Carson, but a failure none the less."

"I hate you Bat freaks." He said and spit at them.

"You need help." Batman returned.

"All I need is a match and skyline blessed with fire." Firefly finished with a laugh.

Nightwing heard GCPD pulling up and jumped up onto the rooftop. Batman greeted Gordon and handed the arsonist over to him. Nightwing wiped the sweat off of his forehead. He felt first degree burns forming on the back of his neck and left cheek.

"How's everybody doing?" Nightwing checked in.

"Bombs are off and caught a few thugs too." Batgirl responded.

"Same." Drake replied.

"Robin come in, how's your sector?"

"Nothing new to report." He grumbled. Nightwing smiled, he knew the little bird wanted to be at the heart of the battle.

"Good job, Robin."

"Whatever. Got it down to the wire as usual I see."

"How much time?" Nightwing asked.

"Six seconds."

"Plenty of time left." Nightwing chuckled. "We usually stop it at one."

"Show off." Damian muttered.

"How's about we all meet at Paul's Bistro for a late night meal?"

"Sounds good."

"Yup!"

"No."

"That's a 'yes' for Damian." Duke chuckled.

"No, it's not."

"Great! Meet you all there." Nightwing smiled. 

All in a night's work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to get each story out. I'm off for the week so I'm catching up but my kittens are quite distracting. So it slowing me up, not that I'm complaining.


	5. Where Do You Think You're Going?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A story with fluff, literally.

Chapter 5

Where Do You Think You're Going?

It was a new living environment for both boys as Dick woke up to the sight of the young face of Damian still asleep in the twin bed beside his. Dick smiled and sat up. He grabbed the shirt hanging on the closet doorknob and flipped it over his head. He looked at the time.

Seven o' clock.

He jumped out of bed and began his stretching routine. After thirty minutes of warm ups he put on some jeans and headed for the kitchen to get started on breakfast. Weekdays consisted of cereal but the weekends were meant for something hearty.

"Some french toast sounds good." Dick said aloud. It was simple and fun to make, and Damian secretly loved it. He whisked up some eggs and turned the stove on.

"That better not be thin bread your using." Damian shouted from the bedroom. Dick sighed and switched the stove off.

"I'm heading to the store for the thick cut, anything else you need?" Dick asked as he grabbed his jacket and wallet.

"I saw a recipe that had marshmallow fluff on top."

"I said anything that you need. Marshmallow fluff isn't a necessity." Dick chuckled.

Silence.

"I'll be back." Dick shouted as he stepped out of the apartment.

The mini mart wasn't far, so Dick took a light jog down the street. It was Saturday so the fresh market would be open. He loved Summer in Bludhaven. The city had actually put in money this year to clean up the bay and they were promoting lots of events on the water. He had hoped to get Damian out of the apartment for a few of them. It was part of his plan to help Damian develop some natural, normal childhood memories. With Bruce's blessing, Dick was able to move a few things around and fit an extra bed in his room to make way for the little demon. He had put up with plenty criticism about a lack of feng shui and the quality of fabrics but Damian still seemed to be content with the new living quarters. It was away from Gotham, and more importantly, away from his father.

They were still at odds with each other. A large portion of it due to Dick's near death and his long term amnesia. Damian disliked the way Bruce had handled it, or as he puts it, not handling it at all. Dick understood Damian's anger but he also knew that Bruce had to look at the larger picture. He had to deal with Bane and so many other rogues that had almost leveled the city. Dick was used to being put on the back burner and as long as he was alive and for the most part, healthy, he knew he wasn't the priority mission.

Having said that, it still stung. Dick shook his head and brought his thoughts back to Damian. The smallest Wayne had gone out and risked so much trying to get his memories back. He had never given up on Dick. He owed it to him to make up for lost time, and Dick had plans for that. Those thoughts made him smile as he entered the mart. He made his way to the bread aisle and scanned the shelves for the thick cut bread loaves.

"Alright, get your hands up!"

Dick perked up and turned towards the shouting. Two men in masks with guns were holding up the cashier. He sighed. "It's too early for this."

"Hand over the money, cigarettes, and the booze. Now!"

Dick made his way quietly to the front and surveyed the situation. He could easily take them down as long as the guns didn't go off. So he decided to distract them first. He went over to the coffee station and picked up the hot pot. He crouched down behind the men and tried to get the attention of the cashier. He told him with hand signs to duck.

"Hurry up!" Shouted one of the men.

"The cigarettes are down here." The old man stammered.

"Slowly!" The other said, cocking the hammer back.

As the cashier slowly lowered himself, it was enough for Dick to toss the hot liquid. It hit the backs of the two robbers. The one gun went off while the other man dropped his as he fell to the ground in pain. Dick grabbed the one still standing and punched him. The robber stumbled back and hit the snacks shelf.

"Uh oh, can't have you messing up the chips. I can't stand opening up a bag of crumbs." He swung the man into the window which was made out of plexiglass. With a swift kick, he knocked him out. He saw the other one trying to make it out the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked as he grabbed the hood of his jacket and yanked him backwards. "You really are some early birds."

He laid a punch to the second crook, knocking him out as well. Dick dusted himself off and went over to grab his bread. The cashier was on the phone with the police.

"I'd like to pay for this." Dick whispered. The old man shook his head and waved Dick away.

Dick smiled and waved back. "Thank you."

Dick jogged back to his place and opened the door to see Damian standing there with a frown.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. I got bread." Dick held up the slightly squeezed bag.

"I hear police sirens."

"Yeah, sounds close." Dick said as he made his way over to the stove again.

"What happened?" Damian asked again.

Dick shrugged and added a little butter to the pan. "Beats me."

"Beats you. More like you beat up someone, didn't you?" Damian hopped up onto the bar table in front of the stove. "Why didn't you inform me?"

Dick laughed. "Because it was a small hold up that was handled in less than ten seconds. I'm not going to go full suit and sidekick for that."

"Who are you calling a sidekick? I'm your partner." Damian's trademark scowl presented itself.

"Of course, I'm sorry. Partner, hand me some cinnamon." Dick smiled as he mixed together the other ingredients.

"No marshmallow fluff?" Damian looked up at him, slightly hurt.

"Sorry pal, they didn't have any. Next time." 

Dick felt a pang of guilt and stopped to pull the small child into his arms. "Maybe I can swing over to the grocery on 17th and grab a container or three."

"Let go, I'm not a baby!" Damian struggled. Dick knew if Damian really wanted to, he could force his way out of Dick's hold, but deep down the boy enjoyed a good hug, especially when he was getting what he wanted.

"I'll meet you on the roof!" Damian made a dash for the window, but Dick grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Whoa now, I don't think so. It'll be faster if I go alone."

Damian looked at him with a pout. "Why? I bet I can beat you there."

"Maybe so but there's something for you to do here." Dick grinned and walked over to the T.V.

"What's that?"

"Watching cartoons. I used to love Saturday morning cartoons. They don't have much nowadays, so I bought some of my favorite series for you to pop into the dvd player."

"You want me to watch cartoons? Are you serious?" Damian rolled his eyes.

"Totally. It's part of your new regimen. Now I'll be back before the second episode." Dick grabbed his grappling gauntlets and headed out the door.

"I'm timing you!" He heard Damian shout back.

Dick headed for the rooftop and slipped his gauntlets on, then put on his jacket to cover them up. "Oh it's on."

He made a quick run of it and jumped off the ledge. He shot out one of the hooks to swing him up and around the block. He wasn't afraid of any onlookers, the traffic was light and most of the foot traffic was further in the city around this time. He landed on top of Multi-Savers Grocery Store and slid down to the street. He walked in and jogged over to the baking section. He immediately caught sight of the plastic containers and grab three as promised. He juggled them as he made his way to the self checkout.

"Easy as one, two-"

The ground began to rumble, causing several bottles to rattle and break. The few shoppers inside gasped and looked around in a panic.

"Now what?" Dick groaned. He had finished paying for his goods and ran outside. He saw a behemoth of a truck equipped with a drill, guns, and spikes barreling down the street. The top of the truck had been removed and replaced with re-enforced rolling bars. The madman driving it let out a cackle. He was dressed like a apocalyptic extra fresh off a movie set. His bald head glistened with sweat.

"Bludhaven beware, Wreckage is here!" He shouted.

"Honestly!" Dick sighed. He spotted some grease in a canister inside a truck bed and slathered across his face. He shot his grappling hook up to leap onto the roof and waited for the right moment. Wreckage plowed over a car like it was a tin can, fortunately no one was in it. The few people on the sidewalks to took refuge in the open shops.

Dick shoved the containers of fluff into each side pocket and kept one in his hand. "Here we go."

He shot the hooks at the bars on the truck and hitched a ride through the air. He retracted the gauntlets, bringing him in right behind Wreckage. He threw the white container and it connected with the back of the crazy man's head. 

"Argh! Wha-" Wreckage turned around just in time to catch Dick's foot to the face. Dick got himself seated in the passenger side. "I'll say it again, it's too early for this stuff. I mean who picks seven in the morning for mayhem?"

Dick slammed Wreckage's head down on the steering wheel. Wreckage was just about out, the dazed look in his eyes said it all. Blood poured out of his nose and mouth. Dick continued. "Sweet ride, but not friendly on the road. I don't want my taxes going up anymore this year. So with that," Dick landed another punch. Wreckage was out like a light. "Let's leave this truck back at the monster rally."

Dick pulled the truck to the side as much as he could and turned it off. Using one of Wreckage's belts he tied up his hands and bound him to the roll bars. Dick snatched up the Marshmallow fluff and made his way back onto the rooftops before people could emerge from their hiding spots.

He swung back to his apartment and came back down the rooftop steps. Damian was waiting for him, arms crossed, mouth in a frown.

"You're late and you got into another fight."

Dick sighed and smiled. "It wasn't really a fight. It was a car accident and it's taken care of."

"You didn't drive, how can it be a car accident? Did it have anything to do with that loud roar earlier?" Damian protested. "How come you won't let me fight beside you? Am I not going to be Robin here?"

"No that's not it! I wasn't looking for trouble out there, I swear. I just went to the grocery store and Wreckage came around the corner." Dick said as he led the short boy back into his apartment.

"Wreckage?"

"Yeah, that's what he called himself."

"That's stupid."

"Well, when all the good names have been taken, what can you do?" Dick shut the door. "And you are going to be Robin. Unless you don't want to be."

Damian gave him a curious look. "What do you mean?"

Dick kneeled down before him. "Robin belongs with Batman. They are a partnership. But you're with me now. You can be whomever you want to be. We can even make you a new suit if you want. This is a fresh start for you. When you return to Gotham, Robin can fly again. I leave the choice up to you."

Damian thought about his words quietly, then. "Okay. I like the sound of that. Let me think about it."

Dick smiled. "No rush."

He handed over one of the jars of fluff. Damian smiled. "Thanks."

As Damian turned to leave, Dick couldn't resist. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Aw, come on! Let go! You already got a hug earlier! You idiot!"


	6. Please

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So many ways to say Please.

Chapter 6

Please

"Pleeeeeeease."

The word was elongated for emphasis as the big blue eyes looked into his with as much urgency as possible. He had to admit, his parents must have had a difficult time saying no if he looked as convincing and quite frankly as effective as Dick did in that moment. 

The fact that the boy tended to invade his personal space also made it difficult to exude the sternness he wished he could muster for a let down. So instead...

"Alright, one more time."

"Yes!"

One more time trying the maneuver, one more time pressing the rocket engine, one more time on the bat computer.

One more.

It didn't help that his yield would result in a beaming smile that could taunt the sun. In the end, it was always worth it.

"Please!"

"It's done. Robin is no more. I won't risk your life like that again."

"I can handle it Bruce!"

"It's gotten too dangerous. You almost died...this is for the best."

The hurt in Dick's eyes never left Bruce. It haunted him ever since that fateful night. He had done it out of fear. Fear of losing someone he loved. Not again. Never again. But it didn't stop it from happening, instead he lost Dick in a different way. He pushed him away to keep the fear at bay, to stop the nightmares from happening. His distance didn't solve the fear, especially when it didn't stop Dick from fighting. It brought a different kind of hurt; Longing. Going solo had proven less effective. He couldn't bounce ideas off anyone out in the field. He had no training partner. He realized he missed conversation, even if it was usually one sided. He then tried to cope by substitution. That got him another kind of hurt.

Betrayal. The look in Dick's eyes when he had discovered what he had done. He had told Dick it was too dangerous and here he was, allowing another kid to don the Robin costume, Dick's costume, after only a few months since letting him go. That stayed with him too.

In the end, he had paid the price. Or more accurately, Jason had paid the price.

"Please..."

"Listen to me... you still have time to get yourself out of here."

"I am **not** abandoning you."

"You aren't Bruce, you never have."

It was a fear that Bruce tried to evade by every means possible. Trying to keep Dick safe was like trying to scream in space. He knew that he would never be able to stop him from being a crime fighter, but he would always stay in touch, make sure he had whatever tech he needed, offered him money which was always denied, and still...

There he was, strapped to a death trap. If Bruce had had his way, he would have rather that bomb go off if it meant he would have had to live without Dick. It was the first irrational thought he had ever had. The second was that Lex Luthor had to die by his hands. He could barely stop himself, in fact, he hadn't.

If he had kept a calm head about it, he would have realized the Dick could have been resuscitated. But that fear had taken over. The one thing he had been trying to prevent, even at the cost of others, had almost happened.

And for a moment, others knew Batman had a flaw. He had a weakness. But even if minds were able to be altered to forget, Bruce would never forget.

"Please?"

The word pulled at his heart strings. Strings that wound around the beating muscle, that led to the young man before him. They wrapped around his blue stripped fingers, up his well toned arms, trailed up his neck and threaded through his tousled hair. The mask held back the power of his blue, blue eyes, but that one word wrecked havoc on Bruce's resolve.

He was begging Bruce to let him in again. Something about Selina. He was trying to focus on work but that word brought him out of his shell. It blew a breeze on the fresh wound that was his on again off again relationship with the elusive Catwoman. He had brought her up before, giving him the advise to let her in and show her his secret. Now he was looking into his eyes, that comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know you're fine. Just know I'm here if you don't want to be fine."

"Please."

It came out as a whisper that even Bruce could barely hear. He hovered over the unconscious body laying in the hospital. Dick's eyes were shut, his hair shaved off and thick white bandages wrapped around his head. The lights were out in his room and the dim glow of the monitors emitted a eerie glow over him. Trails of wires were attached at different spots in his lightly tanned skin. The ventilator whooshed again and again, keeping him alive and breathing as he healed. This was his boy. He swore he would look after him. He would protect him no matter the cost. He would never lose another loved one again.

Not again. 

Never again.

"Please."

Bruce was never one to pray, but he got down on his knees and grabbed the prone hand tenderly in his gloved one. He wasn't sure whom he was pleading to. Constantine had told him of God and the Devil, Diana and the Gods of Greek mythology, Etrigan and Dr. Fate prompted other questions, but all of it didn't really matter. If there was a supreme being out there, they had placed Dick in front of a bullet that may still claim his life, and for that Bruce would hunt them down and destroy them with his bare hands. He knew he had it in him to do so when it came to this man laying before him.

So he spoke the word, pressed it into the cool skin as if he could infuse it into his bloodstream like the I.V. embedded in the vein on the other side.

"Please."

What he would give to see those blue eyes twinkle with mischief. He would risk the ache of a few tears falling from them if they would just open again.

It was time to go. The nurse would be making her rounds soon. Bruce stood up and wiped away the tears that rolled down his cowl. He would try and stop by later as Bruce Wayne today. He took one last look at Dick laying peacefully but painfully still in the hospital bed.

"Wake up, Dick. I shouldn't have let you go so soon. I should have spent more time with you. I should've told I..." Bruce paused as his voice cracked. He took a breath and let out a low, slow sigh.

"Dammit. I can't say it. Not right now. You deserve to hear it when you're awake. So please, come back to me."

He jumped out the window, closing it softly behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Such a short description for a story, it just felt like a Bruce fic. I hated how the writer's screwed up so much with this dynamic duo. They put Dick through so much and repeatedly left so much unaddressed and broken. This was my ode to a long standing relationship. May we see some good times ahead for these two, although I won't hold my breath.


	7. I've Got You

Chapter 7

I've Got You

There is nothing quite like the feeling of suspension. That moment where you hang in the air for mere seconds that feel like eternity. What you are waiting for is that hand to reach out and catch you. It a tight, secure grip that says, 'I've got you'. There's nothing quite like that feeling either. Dick was a believer in being that grip for his family.

But he loved being in suspension too.

As he swings from building to building, overlooking his city, he lives for those brief sensations of complete weightlessness. There is no hand to reach out to grab him but the automatic recoil of the grappling hook attached to his arm gear. It's not as warm or assuring but it saves his life plenty of times. He makes sure that no one down below him needs him to be that reach out, but this night in Bludhaven is unusually quiet. So when he gets a call from one of his brothers, something in his voice says he needs Dick.

"I'm a hop, skip, and a jump away."

"No, don't bother. It's not that important." Tim blurts out quickly. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

"It's no bother. Nothing is happening here so I'm kind of going stir crazy. How about you and I meet at the edge of Gotham and we take the train into the city, like we used to, hm?" Dick asked.

There was a small pause. "N-no, well..."

"Great, I'll see you there." Dick finished and hung up.

He knew Tim was someone who could keep problems to himself and let them eat away at his well being. If left to his own devices, he could almost get as cold and aloof as Bruce, which worked for Bruce but not for Tim. He needed social interaction, comfort, and someone to listen to him. He wasn't as social as Dick liked to be, but definitely not a fan of solo work for long periods of time. His past trauma tended to creep its way into the back of his mind and torment him.

It happened to all of them really. They all had past trauma that would resurface, and Dick liked to be there for them when it happened. No one should have to go it alone, despite how often Dick had to handle his by himself. Which was exactly why he was high tailing it back to the old stomping grounds.

Tim was an easier safe to crack. They had a solid relationship without too much drama. Even after he gave the Robin mantle to Damian, they managed to work things out and get back on track. They knew better than to hold grudges with each other. They simply had to look at how Jason handled things.

Dick wished he could get Jason to open up more. It was the one relationship that still felt unstable. Unlike the other boys, Jason was an adult by the time Dick could really work with him. He thought that talking about your feelings was childish and did nothing to solve the matter. He had a tough upbringing and a short tenure as Robin. Dick didn't get much of a chance to help him grow before 'it' happened. Even though Bruce has told him time and again it wasn't his fault, Dick still felt like he let Jason down. He had reached out to Jason and told him if he needed anything to call him, but that just wasn't Jason. He should have known better and just come see him whenever possible. So now Dick tries to make sure he calls Jay, even if he gets cursed out and hung up on. Dick knows it's his way of saying, 'yeah I know, you're here for me'.

Damian was a strong work in progress a few years ago, but it is one of his strongest relationships. Dick understands for the others why they are annoyed with him. He was a hard boy to love in the beginning, but Dick knew that wasn't his fault. He had been brainwashed by the League of Shadows and his family, the Al Ghuls. It was a strenuous time to say the least with Bruce presumed dead and all of Gotham's rogues picking up that Batman wasn't around. It had been up to Dick to help change his way of thinking about criminals and crime fighting. Looking back, if you were to ask Dick back then his thoughts on the boy, he would have said hopeless, but with the help of Alfred, a man that was like a grandfather to him, he didn't give up on Damian. And now, he was awarded by smiles and hugs from the littlest Wayne.

He made it to the old train depot and waited to see his younger brother. It didn't matter if it was some serious matter like a case gone wrong or something frivolous as a quarrel with his girlfriend, he was going to be there for Tim. They had a good communication channel that allowed them to talk about anything no matter how crazy it seemed. Many a night they came to this industrial spot and began a night of thrills blindfolded while they aired their dirty laundry so to speak. As dangerous as it was, to Dick and Tim it was a way to let down barriers.

It was something that Dick was good at, getting through thick walls of deflection and cold rationality. In other words, getting through to Bruce. It was always a constant hassle reaching his old partner. As soon as he would break through one wall of defense, another would be built up in its place. It never stayed down, so Dick would get back to work chipping away at it. Sometimes Bruce didn't mind, but other times he'd fight back, pushing Dick away, even hurting him in the process. It was the real reason he pushed Dick into joining Spyral. Deep down Dick knew it. He didn't know how to process almost losing him and he was ashamed of his actions back at the doomsday device. If there was any a time he didn't like the feeling of suspension, it was then. For a moment, he felt all alone. In the hands of Owlman and in Spyral's clutches, Dick hated not being able to reach out and feel that safe strong hand to catch him. There was still so much he wanted to say to Bruce for that, but the time wasn't right. He wouldn't know when he'd get a chance for a good talk, but it was inevitable and necessary.

Dick spotted the young man swooping down and landing a few feet away. He looked a little embarrassed as he shuffled over slowly.

"I feel really silly."

"Don't. Hey," Dick got him to look up at him and flashed a grin. "I've missed you."

What he was really saying was, 'I've got you.'


	8. Where Did Everybody Go?

Chapter 8

Where Did Everybody Go?

Dick shot up with a gasp, drenched in sweat and surrounded by twisted sheets. He looked around to get a look at his surroundings as his heart rate slowed to his normal beat.

He was in his room.

It was night time and his clock showed that it was eleven fifteen on the neon red display. He ran a hand through his damp hair and took a few breaths. Must have had a nightmare, but for his life he couldn't even begin to remember what it was.

(It doesn't really matter.)

He slowly got up and peeled the sweat-soaked undershirt off his well toned chest and tossed it into the hamper were it barely made it in. He walked into the bathroom and switched on the light. It was the only other light source on in the apartment aside from the clock, so he squinted as he stepped up to the sink and vanity mirror. His face reflected back a look of fatigue and bewilderment, a few bruises too. His hair was disheveled and damp, dark half moons beneath his slightly dilated blue eyes expressed his long night profession, and a five o' clock shadow had formed over his chiseled jaw.

"I should already be out patrolling by now. You're late, Dick." He spoke to the mirror, his voice slightly raspy. "What's going on with you?"

(Get going.)

He nodded and after a quick shave and a splash of water to his face, he made quick work of getting into his suit. As sat down at the foot of the bed and starting squeezing one foot into his boot when he stopped and looked around again. He couldn't put a finger on it but something felt off. He paused, holding very still and listened. Nothing looked out of place. No strange smells. No sounds.

"Hm."

He got up minus a boot and walked over to the blinds of his window and peeked out. Dick lived downtown in Bludhaven. No matter what time it was, there was always city life moving through the streets and alleyways. It could be a dumpster truck at four in the afternoon, peeling tires or revving motors at night, and Dick's favorite, the drunk lamenting his woes at two in the morning. It didn't matter, there was always something loud. But tonight...?

Dick scanned the area below. The street lights were on, as were apartment lobbies across the way. Cars were parked along the side of the street and in the parking garage further down. Even a few windows were lit, although Dick couldn't see any movement within them.

"Strange." Dick murmured.

Dick finished putting on his boots and grabbed a few gadgets to tuck into his belt and secret pockets. He lifted the window up, being it his favorite way in or out, and stuck his upper body out.

"Let's find out what's going on tonight." He spoke aloud.

He slid out easily and shot his grappling hook into one of the building on the other side of the street. The smooth retraction sent him flying through the balmy night air. He decided the best thing to do was start on his usual patrol route. It tended to have one or two encounters each time.

He swept passed the auto lots but all was clear, so he made his way to the docks, and then the warehouses beside them.

(Nothing.)

Not even signs of the overnight workers. Dick flew over the hospital to see no activity in the entrance way of the emergency entrance. It was all empty! Dick raced further into the city and landed right in the middle of the nightlife district. He stood on the rooftop of Red Ruby Casino and looked down and the empty waiting line. There was always a crowd here every night no matter what day of the week it was. Nightwing walked right into the Satin Rose Lounge and stood on the dance floor, looking at the strange scene of lights and liquor, but no music and no people to enjoy such extravagance. The disco lights blinked and turned silently and Nightwing spun around slowly.

"I'm getting some strange Aliens vibes going on here. Perhaps a thermal scan will tell me where everyone is hanging out since it's clearly not happening here." Dick made his way outside and switched a sensor on his mask. He shot off into the sky and made a bee line to one of the higher buildings. The scan showed the obvious traces from the lights and heating coming from the signs and heating vents, but he didn't see any spots or movement pertaining to large crowds or hostage containment. It was like the entire population had just vanished!

"What the hell is going on?"

(Keep looking.)

Nightwing continued on, looking inside grocery stores, malls, 24-hour marts were all devoid of people. He knew now he had to see if it was just his city. He reached up to activate his ear comm.

"Penny One, this is Blue Bird. Are you there? I've got a strange situation happening in Bludhaven and I'm wondering if you have it there in Gotham too. Come in Penny One. Can you hear me?" Nightwing let go to receive a message, but none came. There was no static on the line telling him it wasn't down. There just wasn't anyone on the other end of the line.

"Can't be." Nightwing said to the dark. He raced back to his place and hopped onto his bike. With a quick charge and screeched out of the parking lot and sped off towards the highway. Another strange observation he made was the lack of cars on the road. It wasn't like people were taken without warning, leaving their cars in the road and possessions on the ground. There were no signs of life at all. The highway was empty which made it easy for Dick to reach Gotham in record timing. The same thing greeted him once he left the large highway.

"My God, here too." He said as he made his way into downtown Gotham. He tried again on the comm.

"Anyone here in Gotham? Nightwing is here. Red Hood? Batgirl? Batman? Somebody talk to me."

Again there was silence. The only noise came from Nightwing tearing down the streets, desperately looking for some kind of clue as to where everyone went. He pulled to a stop at Gotham Park and took a deep breath.

"Okay. Let's try and figure this out. There has got to be a reason this is happening." Nightwing got off his bike and began to pace. He felt his heart rate begin to climb. He recalled the time when he was back at Spyral and lost contact with Bruce. He shook his head, trying not to bring up the traumatic memories.

"This is different."

(Is it?)

"What am I thinking? This is crazy."

(Abandoned.)

"Stop it." Nightwing covered his eyes with his palms, trying to press out the paranoia and chatter that was hindering his thought process. "I need to focus on how it got to this moment."

Ever since he awoke from his nightmare, it has been this depopulated world.

"Maybe it has something to do with my sleep." Nightwing snapped his fingers. "What's the last thing I remember before I went to sleep?"

He stood and tried to recollect his actions prior to the night's events, but for some reason couldn't bring it up. He could not remember what he had done earlier in the day nor what he dreamed up that sent him into this twilight zone scenario.

"Maybe that's it. Perhaps I'm not awake yet."

Of course, that made sense to him now. It was very much like how a dream never really gave you a beginning, you just suddenly find yourself in a situation or environment.

(So wake up.)

Nightwing tried to think about how to wake up.

"Well, they say falling makes you wake up." Nightwing said with a shaky voice. He looked up at the tallest skyscraper in the Gotham skyline. "I should make sure I have enough time to back out of if this is reality."

It began to rain as Nightwing drove up to the large building with his mentor's name upon it. It was the tallest building in the city if you didn't count the water tower upon the bridge in the industrial park. Nightwing made the detour through the building itself, just in case he found something unusual or...

(Who are you kidding?)

"I'm not going to find anything or anyone here. I'm alone." Nightwing muttered. He used to run through these halls when Bruce would bring him on teacher work days. The décor had changed over time and the employees had moved up or moved on, but the feeling was same. 

(Don't belong here.)

Nightwing stopped before heading into the elevator.

"What the hell?"

Where were these strange notions coming from? A sudden shiver ran up his back and he resisted the urge to hug himself. He pressed the 'up' button and the elevator door instantly opened for him. It's not like there was anybody else using it. He stepped inside and pressed for the top floor. Bruce's floor.

(He's not there.)

"Of course he's not there. It's night time." Nightwing grumbled. Yet, he was met with a strange sense of disappointment when the elevator doors separated and Bruce's office door was wide open, revealing an empty desk facing Nightwing.

(Look again.)

"No." Nightwing argued. "It doesn't matter. That's not what we're up here for."

Why was he up here again? 

(That's right, to fall to your death. Because this is a dream.)

"Right." Nightwing sighed, trying to keep down the nagging dread of his decision. "This is all just a dream."

Nightwing found the maintenance exit to the roof and pushed open the discreet metal door. He took the few flights of steps in stride, noting how he had a lack of feeling as he made his way out onto the rooftop.

(Almost there.)

Nightwing walked slowly over to the ledge. A strong wind had picked up, the rain droplets stung slightly on his cheeks. His mask kept the rain from his eyes as he stared straight ahead. He stopped just short of the building ledge and refused to look down.

"You're just trying to wake up. This is all just a dream." He tried to reassure himself. "Then again, if it's not," He got his grappling hook ready. "just in case."

He took a deep breath and stepped onto the ledge. He finally looked down and felt a strange pull in the back of his mind.

(Go for it.)

"Wait."

(Just do it.)

"I said wait."

(What are you waiting for?)

"Something doesn't feel right." Nightwing knew it was weird to be having an argument with himself, but seeing as there was no one to look crazy in front of, he let himself be loud about it.

"I just... I don't know about this." Nightwing shook his head and stepped back down.

(You've done this before.)

"Not like this. Not knowing if I'm wake or asleep. Something is telling me to wait." Nightwing said looking around. He noted that the rain had misted the street below, making it harder to see the ground.

"What am I doing here?" He asked himself again.

(Falling.)

"Not yet I'm not. What am I doing here?" Nightwing tried to get a grip on some kind of sanity. "How did I get here? Where have I been? I haven't been here this entire time, have I? Think!" He willed himself to remember something, but the only thing that popped up was-

"Eleven fifteen."

(What?)

"What?" Nightwing repeated aloud.

The clock display?

The numbers!

"Eleven fifteen." He said it aloud again.

A flash of lightning struck overhead, thunder booming in response to his words.

He tried to think of what it could mean.

"Eleven fifteen." He spoke again.

Another flash, this time in his head. He grabbed his temple as a jolt of pain went through it.

"Ouch!"

(Something is happening. Better jump and wake up.)

Nightwing wasn't sure what was going on, but he felt his legs move towards the ledge again.

"No, wait." He groaned.

(There's nothing to wait for. You're prolonging this nightmare.)

"I can wake up without jumping if you just let me figure this out." Nightwing arugued.

(No time.)

Another shock of pain hit him in head, coinciding with more lightning and thunder.

(Go ahead.)

"Stop it!" Nightwing shouted.

(Don't jump!)

(Jump!)

"What?" Nightwing looked up, confused.

(Stay right where you are!)

(Too late, they're coming for you.)

"Who!"

(The ones that took everyone else.)

Nightwing spun around but saw no one. He took step back. "I don't see anything."

(They're there, and they've come to take you away.)

(I said don't move!)

"Away? Where?" Nightwing asked, a wave of panic washing over him.

(Away. Away.)

The thought of police coming by to take him from the circus popped into his head.

(Away!)

The time he was pulled out of Bruce's arms when the city thought Bruce wasn't qualified to keep him.

(Away!)

Alone at Spyral, speaking into a radio with nothing but static. Left behind.

"No, no, no." Nightwing felt a spell of dizziness and swayed back and forth.

(Eleven fifteen!)

"Huh?"

Another flash of light passed before his eyes. Within it, he swore he saw a figure before him but it was gone in an instant. 

(Say it!)

(Jump boy!)

(SAY IT!)

"Eleven fifteen!" Nightwing shouted out. He hated how it made him feel but he knew there was a reason why it meant something in this moment.

(What aren't you listening to me?)

"Tell me what it means." Nightwing winced out.

(What?)

"Tell me what it means."

(How the hell should I know?)

"Then you're not me." Nightwing said with resolution. "Get outta my head!"

Nightwing grabbed both sides of his head and pulled, hard. There was an initial shock that struck him, but not enough to keep him from removing the device that had encircled his head. His view changed slightly as the rain stayed but the sudden rush of sound startled him as the world came back. He tumbled backwards off the ledge.

"Nightwing!"

He watched as the great big wings spread out above him and dove after him. In his daze, Nightwing couldn't begin to register that his arms could work and simply fell. He watched in almost slow motion as the dark figure flew closer and closer to him, collecting Nightwing in his arms and pressing him tightly to the rigid chest. Nightwing closed his eyes as the fatigue of resistance hit him and reality set in.

"Mad Hatter." He moaned out.

"We got him," Batman replied. "Just hang on."

Nightwing nodded, his head resting up against Batman's shoulder as they glided down onto the roof of a small commercial store. Batman still had him in his arms, looking Nightwing over to see if there were any serious wounds after the removal of the head piece.

"Nightwing, can you hear me?" Batman set him down gently and kneeled over him.

"Mad Hatter. He got away."

"No he didn't. You tagged him before he hypnotized you. GCPD and Bludhaven PD took his operation down. All of the kids are in custody and their parents are being notified." Batman gave him a small jostle.

"You did good. We did it. You did it."

"Good." Nightwing sighed. His memory started coming back from the past few days. He and Batman trying to put up a quick sting operation to find several missing children in the dual city areas. Both of them racing to find clues and finally finding a suspicious vehicle where he surprised Jervis and as Batman relayed to him, setting up a tracker on him.

"Is he alright, sir?" Alfred's voice crackled over his earpiece.

"He's fine. He is just a little out of it, still waking up after being chipped." Batman replied. "I'm bringing him back."

Nightwing staggered to his feet with a little help from Bruce as the Batplane landed beside them.

"It worked." Bruce said as he lifted Nightwing up into the plane cockpit.

"What did?"

"Eleven fifteen."

Nightwing paused as he remembered the phrase. He chuckled. "Oh yeah, it did. As he got the chip onto me, I just kept thinking about it."

"Good. It's something no one can ever take away from you. It means something only to you that can help you realize you're the one in control." Batman gave one of his crooked smiles as he lifted the plane off the roof.

Nightwing smiled. "Yeah. I have to say, he was putting some dark stuff in my head."

"But you fought him off."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Something wrong?" Batman threw a glance his way.

After a moment, Nightwing shook his head. "No, not really. You're here with me right now. I know what he tried to do was make me think I'm all alone, but I know that's not true."

"The only reason I wouldn't be here Dick, is if I'm dead. Don't ever think I would abandon you on purpose or think you're not important." Bruce pulled back his cowl so Dick could see the expression on his face.

Dick smiled. "I know. Eleven fifteen." He pointed to the digital clock. "See? It happened again."

Bruce smiled. "Our magic numbers."

It was a strange coincidence during their time together that these numbers always came up. When they'd finish a patrol route and check the time, it would be eleven fifteen. When they'd sleep in on the weekend and wake up to brunch in bed, eleven fifteen. The time they went out fishing on a long weekend off, it was November fifteenth. It was something of a secret between them and only them. Something only they would know the significance.

"Let's get you back to the cave and checked out. Alfred will be worried sick by now." Bruce said as he flew towards the direction of home.

"Yes, I could use a cup of his tea. I still feel a little groggy."

"Then sit back and relax, chum. I'll get you there."

Dick felt a firm hand on his shoulder as he closed his eyes, letting the sounds of the plane put him in a calm and peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taking me so long to finish these up. They will get done I promise you.


	9. For the Greater Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra's thoughts on the greater good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my first time writing for this character. I hope I do her justice. I'm taking a little bit of history from the old and new mythos of her and just making it a hybrid history.

Chapter 9

For the Greater Good

Cassandra Cain scanned the scene from high above the factory rafters. What the facility used to build, Cass couldn't care less, for now it was being used for trafficking. Large shipping containers full of people young and old were probably stacked side by side for who knows how long. Most of them would be young, Cass guessed. They prefer them young, easier to train. 

Cassandra had started young. Trained by her biological father, she was made into an assassin with no weaknesses. It was all she had known, besides pain. The man didn't even let her call him father. It was a term of endearment and was never to be used. He was her sensei at most, her boss at the very least. No words were used nor touch. The only thing that touched her was pain.

A fist.

A staff.

A blade.

Afterwards Cain would look down over her, frowning. "It's for your own good."

He would take her out on missions and watch him work. Just before a kill, he would wait for the perfect opportunity to strike. Many times it would be in a hotel bedroom. The target engaged in an unusual activity that consisted of lots of touching. A welcome distraction is what Cain called it. Of course it also meant dispatching the third party. Cass watched helplessly as the innocent victim would look on in fear as Cain would advance towards them. At least he would make it quick. As they would make their getaway, Cass would think back to the two people entwined and wonder what it would be like to be touched. How strange and foreign it was. What was she missing? Not that she wanted any of that which was done behind closed doors, but just something as simple as touching one's face. She was always made to keep gloves on no matter what, so that no fingerprints were left behind, and to enforce it she had to keep them on even at home base. She couldn't even know what her own skin felt like, let alone what someone else's hand.

Those days were long behind now. She went by a new name: Orphan. For her, it meant she would rather be alone than have some tie to the devil man that help create her. Orphan wasn't a negative word to her. It said to her that she didn't have to live up to anyone's expectations but her own. There was no lineage to uphold. There was no reason to hold onto her dark past. She was free to be who she wanted to be, do what she wanted to do.

And right now it was to kick some ass, as Red Hood would say. She leaped into action.

The family that took her in allowed Cass to make her own decisions and showed her what 'the greater good' really meant. Batmen trained her to use non-lethal techniques, Nightwing helped her open up and gave her safe place to be vulnerable. Red Hood taught her not to let her past define her. Red Robin showed her how to explore who she wanted to be and remake herself the way she wanted. The littlest Robin, well, he was showing her she wasn't alone in the battle with father figures, or mothers for that matter.

Cass got the drop on the traffickers easily. Their surprise and fear dropped their accuracy and rationality. While a couple of them screamed to stand their ground, most of the others scrambled to get away.

"It's just one Bat brat!"

Which made little sense to Cass as she takes several men down with a few maneuvers at lightning speed. Her name doesn't have anything to do with Batman. Actually none of her peers do. They all came up with names that meant something to them. Orphan meant...

"Urk!" The last man toppled into a heap as Cass walked over to one of the shipping containers and unlocked it. The door whines as she opens it and her eyes widened at the sight before her. Out of the shadows several children step forward with hesitancy and fear. A small girl with curls still clutches the head of a dirty teddy bear to her chest, staring up at her with red eyes and quivering lips.

Cass gets down on one knee and beckons her over. The little girl shuffles over and wraps her arms around her.

"It's over. You will go home now." She whispers.

The little girl pulls back, a tear rolling down her red cheek. "But mommy said she didn't want me."

Cass swallowed back her anger and wiped the tear away. "Then we will find a mommy that does, I promise."

It was children like this that Orphan stood for. Orphan meant that as long as she lived, no other child would go through what she had with Cain. No child will be made to serve anybody. She would do everything in her power to make sure every child in Gotham know they weren't alone. Nightwing once laughed and called her the patron saint of lost children. She knew she wasn't a saint, but she had found her calling to say the least. Yes, she hunted down all kinds of criminals but her main focus would always be men like the ones that littered the floor of the condemned factory she was currently in. 

"It's for the best."

Words never spoken aloud but signed in rough sign language designed by the man that shared her last name.

"The best." Cass whispered as she watched from afar as Gotham P.D. ushered dozens of children out of the factory. Buses had been brought in to carry the unfortunately large crowd of stolen children. It would be a lot of work for the Wayne Foundation but he promised that every single one of them would either be returned to their relieved families or be found a loving home.

What Cass had been made to give up had not been in vain. She was using her pain and her training for the greater good now. This would be her mission for the rest of her life, and she was okay with it.

"Good job Orphan." She heard the voice of her new mentor behind her shoulder. She said nothing but nodded.

"Red Robin and I got the cargo ship before they could take off."

"That will teach them to use Gotham for their dirty work again." Red Robin's voice crackled through her ear comm.

"But what about everywhere else?" Cassandra asks as she turns to face Batman.

"We do what we can."

Cassandra looks back down at the parking lot and spots the little girl with the teddy head. She is being helped up the steps of an idling bus. Once she is on, is revs up and drives away.

"We can do better. I can do better. I have to."


	10. They Look So Pretty When They Bleed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has a favorite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I saw this prompt, I realized it needed a different narrator than whom I usually use. So here it goes...

Chapter 10

They Look So Pretty When They Bleed

Victor Zsasz knew he only had minutes to do his work. He didn't like to be rushed but over the years he learned to relish what he could while he had the time. He was never out of Arkham long before Batman picked up his trail. He wasn't clever like the Penguin or elusive like the Joker, he wasn't a big timer, but he was desperate. Oh how desperate he was to get his fingers into a fresh open wound and hear the screams of anguish pierce the air and give him goose pimples all over. If done right, he could find release in it, but that took time. Time was not on his side as he slid out of the sewer canal and emerged on the outskirts of Gotham City by the bay. He looked around for a way into the city. A car. A ship. Anything would do. But he had to stay hidden.

He knew his face was recognizable to everyone. It had flashed on many a news story. He had to stay in the shadows. Once he got into the city, it would be easier to hide. There were so many dark spots to fade into in Gotham. The city took care of her children, hiding them under her skirt from the world view. Victor hadn't been born here but he certainly was made into the beast he had become. It was a different kind of birth when he had made his first kill. A re-birth if he thought about it. Out of the screams and blood he birthed from their pain each time, over and over again with every victim. He had been reborn so many times, and with each time, a cut onto his skin. One for each of his precious works of art. 

He saw his moment when a truck parked for a moment and the driver stepped out and relieved himself off the side of the road. Victor watched the stream of piss just narrowly avoid his hiding spot at the sewer entrance. He heard the trucker zip up his pants and took it as his time to crawl up the trench and latch onto the bottom of the truck. It would be a difficult hold but his determination to get into the city and start carving gave him the strength to do so. He heard the sound of a helicopter flying over head as the truck started up.

Just in time to avoid the eye in the sky. Victor chuckled.

As soon as he made it to the industrial zone, he detached and rolled out from under the truck that had stopped at a stop sign. He scrambled up and into an alley way behind a car repair shop. It was the dead of night so there was little to no movement in the streets. It was a perfect place to lay low. He broke into an old multilevel building that had been boarded up. The sounds of rats scurrying away told him he was the only person in here. He looked around to get familiar with his surroundings.

"Gotta get to work Vic. There's not much time."

Where to find his first pet...?

It may be his only one so it had to be good, which would be difficult to acquire on short notice. He loved stalking them at first. Watching them for days without them knowing was a turn on for him. Then he would go back to his hideout and think about what he'd do to them. Once he settled on an idea, he'd kidnap them, tie them up, and have his way with them. Oh yes, it was a process but it was so worth it. But right now, it would have to be a quick grab and just wing it.

Perhaps a factory worker. Someone had to be keeping those smoke plumes puffing. Or perhaps a pathetic security guard. So many of them thought they were hot stuff with their flashlight and jangling keys. Maybe he would get lucky and find a hooker. He preferred men but anyone would do right now.

He heard the rats scurry above him and he froze. Someone was here! If they were above him that would only mean one thing...he's here.

Victor swore internally and moved carefully into the black shadows and waited. He pulled out the scalpel he had stolen out of the medical bay at Arkham Asylum. It wasn't much but if he cut the right place, he could take down a grown man in seconds. He also saw heavy light fixture dangling dangerously from the roof. It was hanging on by a strained wire. Victor looked around and saw within arms reach shards of glass long enough to be thrown. He picked up the closest one as he heard the creak of wood from the stairs on the other side of the room.

It was all about being patient. This Victor could do. It was the same thing as when he stalked his victims. As bloodthirsty as he was, he knew it was best to wait just a little longer. He barely let his breath out through his mouth, his nose made too much noise. Batman broke it multiple times and it whistled when he breathed.

Victor was shocked to see not Batman, but Nightwing step forward into the room. The lack of cape and the shapeliness of the young man's body gave him away despite the lack of light. And the smell. Nightwing always smelled good. Victor wanted to lick his lips in anticipation but restrained himself as he saw the vigilante move closer to his trap. 

It was a game of cat and mouse. Nightwing moved further towards the center as Victor watched and waited for his moment to pounce. He realized at that moment he had his victim. What a body to work with!

He sprang up and let the glass shard fly. Nightwing ran forward to swing one of his sticks at him but didn't see the falling metal light fixture coming down. There was a heavy clang as it connected with his head and he collapsed right in front of Victor. Still Victor waited a moment to make sure he was unconscious. A stream of blood began to trickle from beneath his face and onto the moonlit floorboard.

"Ooh my. I've caught a pretty pet." Victor oozed.

Victor made quick work of tying him up and hanging him from the ceiling. He made sure to weigh down his legs so he wouldn't kick. He found chain and brick did the trick. He had also removed the man's upper body suit. The moonlight accented the chiseled abs that moved faintly with each breath. The blood from his head wound was making its way down his neck onto his chest and Victor watched it with delight.

"So beautiful."

He licked the red trail up the hot skin up to his ear and whispered. "You're so pretty when you bleed."

Nightwing was beginning to stir so Victor pulled out his scalpel. "I don't have time to do what I really want with you, so I'll work with what I can."

He wished to peel off all of Nightwing's skin and admire the true beauty of his flesh and tissue separated but there was no time, so he placed the cold steel blade against his neck.

"I just want to see you bleed."

Nightwing's head snapped up and he tried to jerk away, but Victor grabbed a handful of thick wavy hair and pulled him close.

"I need to see you bleed."

"Get the hell off me Zsasz!"

"I don't have much time. It's been so long since I've last been treated to such extravagance. I must have you." Victor said. He heard his voice go almost falsetto with his eagerness.

"You're not going to get anything from me. I won't give you the satisfaction." Nightwing growled.

"Oh but you will. I wish I could take the time necessary to truly enjoy you, but right now I just want you to bleed." Victor raised the scalpel again.

"Victor!" Nightwing shouted out before the blade swiped across his neck. Blood gushed out like a water fountain, cascading down his chest, covering it like a warm blanket. Victor's eyes lit up with glee and he couldn't help but giggle. 

Nightwing shocked face began to pale as he realized what just happened.

Victor reached out and touched the wet skin. He brought it to his face and smeared it all over. He was being reborn again. It was glorious! All he had to do now is watch as the life before him fade away and enter him through a single cut upon his scarred skin.

But that didn't get to happen. The Batman came crashing through the already broken window and slammed Victor into the wall.

"Robin get in here now!" Victor heard his nemesis shout. 

Victor was on a high now. Adrenaline pumped through him causing the pain to dull. He swiped at Batman with the blade, making contact on his arm but that was all he got before his wrist was broken along with his shoulder dislocated and flipped face first into the floor. All Victor could do was laugh. He had known all along it wouldn't take long to find him, but he got his wish. He got to see the pretty one bleed.

He lifted his eyes up to see the small brat come running into the room and straight for Nightwing. He was trying to use his cape to stop the bleeding. Victor felt goose pimples forming all over his body.

"Isn't it so warm? The blood."

He was flipped over onto his back and felt the heavy blows of an angry fist over and over again. The pain was nothing compared to the warm satisfaction that came over him from his work. He could smell Nightwing, it mixed with the smell of blood. It was a luscious scent to Victor who once again felt his nose break for the umpteenth time.

"Batman! Batman! That's enough!" He heard the familiar voice of the police commissioner shout. "Somebody get him off of him!"

"Yeah right!" Came the reply. "I'm not getting between him and Zsasz."

The pummels slowed as Gordon grabbed Batman's arm, trying to stop him. "I said that's enough! You're gonna kill him!"

Victor laughed, blood splurting out of his damaged mouth. "Now you know how I feel Batman. Doesn't it feel good?"

With that, Batman stopped. He glared at Victor for a moment, then at his fist. He jumped up and ran over to the hanging man struggling to breath. Gordon snatched Victor up and cuffed him. He heard the old man speaking urgently as he was being dragged out of the room.

"Let's get him to a hospital."

"No, I've got him."

"Are you serious? He's bleeding to death!"

Victor didn't get to hear the rest but dreamed up a scenario of the lifeless man being carried away to be mourned wherever the Batman lurked. Hearing his cries and screams to the darkness of the loss of his best boy. If only.

He knew the Batman would save Nightwing. He meant a great deal to him, they all knew it. He heard from others what the Bat would do to anyone who messed with his young protegees. No one has seen KG Beast since his attempt at killing Nightwing. In the end, Victor hadn't cut deep enough, just enough to get what he wanted. Why waste a good body like his on a quick fix? He deserved to be loved and savored. He would get his chance someday, with all of them, but not now.

Patience.

It would be worth it.

They all looked so pretty when they bleed. 


	11. Psych 101

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Examines the biological basis of behavior, the nervous system, how it works to control behavior, sense the world, and what happens when it malfunctions. Topics include, learning and memory, development, sex, drugs, sleep, the senses, emotions, and mental disorders.

Chapter 11

Psych 101

It had been a long stretch of time since Nightwing stepped foot in Arkham Asylum. He strode through the looming double doors and was greeted by one of the few doctors that have lasted after several breakouts.

"Where is he?" Nightwing demanded.

"The doctor whose name tag said 'Hughes' replied. "He just got in. We have him set up in one of our therapy rooms."

Nightwing arched an eyebrow. "Therapy rooms?"

Dr. Hughes shrugged. "The city had us change the interrogation rooms into therapy rooms. They felt the previous name was in violation of the patients' rights and well being."

They both walked down the dark stone halls. Everything about the Asylum looked more like a dungeon than an institution for the mentally insane. Nightwing passed the peculiar exam rooms with strange equipment, the large cafeteria that had more space than it did tables to sit at. Still, it was the safest place to hold many of Gotham's most notorious villains, even if it didn't hold them for long. They passed through the double doors that separated the areas most visitors saw from the more sinister and scenic holding cells. Room by room, the two walked by name plates stating who was occupying each room with a couple of vacant ones. Some rooms had plexiglass windows that you could see with ease but the other side was mirrored for the patient. The Riddler was solving a crossword puzzle in one of them. Other rooms had metal doors triple locked and bolted, one of them labeled Killer Croc. 

They moved passed these rooms and turned right. Here Nightwing noticed the exam rooms held more violent looking beds with thick leather restraints and even metal clamps. There were large cylindrical containers from floor to ceiling filled with fluid he assumed was water but was probably wrong. Computers whirred and hummed with strict security access.

"It's just over here." The graying doctor gestured to a room on the left. Nightwing mentally prepared himself as the doctor swiped his card to unlock the door. The thick wooden door clicked open and Nightwing stepped inside. He turned and held a hand up to block Dr. Hughes from entering.

"I need to be alone with him. He'll get distracted if there's two of us in there."

Dr. Hughes nodded. "That's fine with me. I have work to do. Just wave to the camera when you want us to buzz you out of there." And with that the door closed.

A raspy chuckle came from behind Nightwing.

"Well, well. If it isn't the-"

"Save it Two-Face! I've heard all your charming nicknames for me. What I am here for are answers!" Nightwing spun around and walked over to the desk. Two-Face was sitting back in a wooden chair shackled up. The chains were bolted straight to the floor, so was all of the furniture. The staff had removed his signature suit and instead dressed him in pale blue two piece patient fatigues. Despite the down grade, it didn't do anything to dim the aura of mob boss that he exuded. There was a laid back attitude on one side of his face, while the other side marred with melted skin scarred over and wild eye exposed gave the impression that at any moment he could go off like the Tommy gun he usually carried. Nightwing knew not to let his guard down with Harvey. He sat down and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Where are they?" He asked.

Harvey batted his eye a few times. "Where are who?"

"Where are the Mayor and his wife?"

"How should I know? I was minding my own business when the bat came crashing in."

Nightwing snorted. "Ha, you were robbing Gotham Executive Bank at their second built bank in the city. You were far from minding your own business."

"It's my business to handle banks in such a way. It's in my nature."

"It's in your nature to take a couple of hostages too. So where are they?" Nightwing redirected.

"They weren't at the bank when I decided to make my transaction." Two-Face smiled back icily.

"We know you took them Harvey! You couldn't help yourself when you took the Mayor's two sided Gotham Heritage Medallion. It was the only thing missing in their luxurious mansion." Nightwing leaned forward.

"You don't know that. How could you possibly know that? You're making a big stretch there Bird Brat. You know, I think you're getting a little befuddled. I think its just one too many bats to the head, ya know? I know I gave you a few good licks, and from what I hear, so did your old man. I bet that's true. You like getting your clock punched? Do you think you deserve it?"

Nightwing slammed his fist down on the table. "Enough Harvey! Now tell me where they are!"

Inside Dick cursed himself for letting Two-Face get to him. He promised Batman he would get the information while he scoured the city looking for any of his goons that he might squeeze the information out of. Harvey still worked like a sharp prosecutor. He liked to manipulate people into getting what he wanted. He also knew how to rile you up. Nightwing took a deep breath and relaxed.

"Doing some yoga over there?" Two-Face sneered.

"Why did you take them?" He tried again.

"I didn't take any hostages at the bank."

"I'm not talking about the bank. I'm talking about earlier. Why did you take the Mayor and his wife? What did they do to you to piss you off?"

"Everyone pisses me off. I didn't take nobody. You really just want to place this on me. You know whatever happens to them is going to be on you. Going after the wrong guy is just," He clicked his teeth with arrogance, "such lousy work. I knew cops like that."

Harvey was misdirecting again and trying to sow doubt. He and Batman were certain Harvey had something to do with it. He just had to slip him up.

"Where are they?"

"I didn't take the Mayor and his wife. Honest to God." Dent held his right hand up in a swear.

"Where were you last night?" Nightwing kept his face as neutral as he could.

"Eating at this amazing Italian restaurant. They had legit garlic bread. Not the kind where they sprinkle it with powder but the real deal."

"What did you do afterwards?"

"I made love to a beautiful blonde." Two-Face grinned. "Man was she hot blooded and wild as a-"

"And when did she leave you?" Nightwing asked. He saw a flicker of something twitch his lip. "I mean, what time did she leave?"

"I don't know. She was with me for hours."

"Was she with you at the restaurant?"

"Look kid, my life must be so exciting to you but I got some sleep to catch up on. Can we talk some other time?" Harvey yawned and stretched as much as he could with the restraints. Nightwing knew there was something to his story that said he was onto him.

"Sorry, no sleep 'til I get what I need. I'm really interested in this mystery lady Harv. I know it's been a minute since you were in the saddle so I'd like to continue hearing about her." Nightwing pressed. He saw the anger starting to burn in his non-damaged eye.

"If we're going to trade broad stories. How about that Batgirl? I bet you two have done the dirty deed in the batmobile." Two-Face tried to direct the spotlight to Nightwing but he wasn't having any of it.

"Yes we did. Now back to you. This lady, how long have you known her? Is she an old acquaintance? Did you just meet her?"

"I was joking kid! You don't seem to realize when you're being bullshitted." Harvey snapped.

"Oh no, I do. In fact I'm quite the pro at bullshit if you recall. I think you trying to lead me off with a lie but you ended up saying something that was really true. Who is she to you?" Nightwing continued.

Now Harvey dropped the act. "I ain't telling you nothing! I'm done with this conversation." He turned away from Nightwing.

"She must mean something to you if you let her in, let her get close to you...with all your scars." Nightwing went on, noting the tension building up in Two-Faces' shoulders.

"Did she have something to do with the disappearance of the Mayor? Come on Harvey, you were so confident a moment ago, now you've just disappointed me with this childlike silence. What is it? You couldn't keep her interested so you decided to let off some steam with a bank heist? Talk about some major blue balls there."

"Shut up! You little twerp! I'll cut you in half when I get out of here!" Two tried to jump up but barely lifted off the bolted chair.

"You did a favor for her and then she cut you off?" Nightwing stood up and began walking around the room. Something popped up from the back of his mind. He thought about a picture of the Mayor and his wife.

"Do you know the Mayor? You've met them before haven't you? Before your little makeover, before they came to Gotham, right?"

He thought about the medallion. "No, wait. Mayor Hawthorn isn't a Gothamite, but his wife Margaret is, born and raised. Her family goes way back." He rubbed his chin as he pondered. Harvey watched him like a predator as he paced slowly back and forth. "She's a blonde."

He threw a side look to Dent who frowned at him. Nightwing grinned. "I think there's been a little mix up here. We're not looking for the Mayor and his wife, are we?"

Nightwing walked back over to the desk, placing his palms down and leaning over the large man. "You knew his wife, Margaret. She is a socialite whose family's all in the judicial pond of sorts. Her father was a judge, her mother a lawyer, the same with her grandparents. You would have at least met her."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Dent growled.

"You met with her, didn't you? She asked you to do her a favor. She gave you the medallion in payment. But why?" Nightwing wondered aloud. He stared at Harvey's dual face.

"An affair."

Harvey's face said it all. Nightwing continued. "She caught her husband cheating. You didn't take the Mayor and his wife, you took the Mayor and his lady friend. Margaret came to you to get back at him."

Nightwing headed for the door. "It was nice talking to you Harvey. You gave me what I needed to know."

"You won't find the Mayor without me! I got a nice surprise in store for the both of them." Harvey shouted back to him.

Nightwing looked back at him. "And you're going to tell me about it? After you've been so forthcoming, hm? Once we find Margaret, she'll be labeled an accomplice in this."

"They're by the docks, in a ship. If you can find them before their demise, you're a better detective than ole' Bats." Two-Face turned to face the side wall. Two-Face's admittance surprised him enough to make his jaw drop slightly. Nightwing waved to the camera above them.

"Why did you do it? I'm just curious, it seems so out of your wheelhouse if I'm honest."

"You're the detective, you figure it out." Dent replied. "Oh and kid, just say it was me. Don't get her involved."

"I can't make any promises." The door buzzed and clicked open and Nightwing dashed out. He reached for his communicator.

"Batman, the docks. I'll meet you there."

~

By the time he reached the docks there was a swarm of red and blue lights flashing up and down the piers. He met up with Batman standing on an empty freighter ship. "Did you find them?"

Batman shook his head. "We've checked all of the ships docked here. Gordon is getting in touch with the National Guard to see about any ships that left the port in the past twenty-four hours."

Nightwing thought back to what Two-Face said to him.

"If I can find them before their demise..."

"What?" Batman looked over to him. Nightwing shook his head.

"Something Two-Face said. They aren't going to be easy to find. The Mayor's wife set this up with Harvey. He was having an affair with some other woman. Margaret is still out there somewhere."

"I'll send word to Gordon, but right now time is of the essence. What did he say to you?"

"He said they were at the docks in a ship." Nightwing replied.

"Anything else?"

"If I can find them before their demise, I'm a better detective than you." Nightwing added. "They won't be anywhere obvious."

He looked out at the murky water leading out into the bay. The moon's reflection danced on the small waves, the water sloshed against the boat. Nightwing spotted a gull asleep on a pole sticking out of the water.

"Or maybe it is obvious, too obvious."

"What do you see, Nightwing." Batman looked in the same direction. Nightwing pointed to the bird.

"What if they're in a ship that's sunk?"

They both look at each other before reaching for their re-breathers and jumping into the bay. The water is dark so they each pull out a flashlight as they make their way to the wreckage. They spotted the old ship settled at the bottom of the bay. It was a fishing boat. They headed for the storage area where fish would be kept through their haul. It took both of them to get the trap door to open. When they did they spotted two figures tied together with oxygen tanks on their backs. Their was very little bubbles coming from each of them. Batman grabbed the Mayor as Nightwing took the woman and they swam back up to the surface.

They got them to the closest police boat, then headed for shore. They climbed back up one of the piers.

"Whew! That was close. Do you think they'll be ok?" Nightwing panted.

"We'll have to see what the doctor's say." Batman shook his cape. Water droplets slid off it onto the ground.

"I can't believe Dent just went ahead and told me. I still wonder why he would do this for her."

"Harvey went to school with Margaret if I recall. I'm not sure how close they were growing up."

"He did ask for us not to involve her, just to say it was Harvey's plan." Nightwing looked at Batman with a sad glance.

"She premeditated murder, Dick. She has to pay for her crimes."

Gordon walked over to them. "Can't find Margaret. My guys went to over their house top to bottom. She had a penthouse as well. Found some clothes missing out of the closet. She left her phone, id, and her wedding ring."

"Looks like you'll be reaching out to the F.B.I. for help." Nightwing ran a hand through his wet hair.

"I want to thank you two for finding them."

"It was Nightwing that solved it." Batman replied in his dry tone. Gordon smiled at Nightwing.

"Way to go, kid. I mean, young man."

"It's okay. I'm glad to have helped."

They left the rest for the police to deal with and headed home.

"I still can't help but wonder why Harvey just let me know. I thought he hated me."

"You're easy to talk to." Batman joked.

"I don't think that was it."

"You'd be surprised." Nightwing rolled his eyes. After a moment Batman spoke again.

"He must have wanted to help her get away. He gave her enough time to get out of the city."

"Yeah, makes sense."

"Harvey's always two minds about things. One part of him does the crime, but the other can't help but do the right thing."

Nightwing nodded. "I guess that's one for the books. Let's get back to the cave."

There was more silence.

"Harvey was born and raised here?" Nightwing asked.

"Umhm."

"Okay."

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh nothing. I wondered why the Mayor had a Gotham Heritage Medallion if he wasn't born here."

"Perhaps Margaret had given it to him when they married."

"And then she gave it to Harvey."

"I guess."

"He really did have a nice time with her."

"What do you mean?"

Nightwing sighed and looked out the window. "Oh, it's nothing."


End file.
